Sport Winter Cricket Thread

[Gary Baldi]

The team are in NZ for T20s at the moment and are 1-1 - James Vince is still the cricketer that giveth and taketh away in equal measures - some spectacular drops in the last game after scoring a "pretty" 50 in the first game.

Pat Brown has been struggling a bit, but all in, the team look good in some areas - T and S Curran, with Jordan have bowled well and the batting has been ok.

Let's see what the game later brings!

 

[tonyw]

To be honest, finding it a little hard to get excited about Eoin Morgan and the England 'B' team playing a few games of pajama cricket in NZ.
The t20 team should be in good shape for next year.....it'll just be a very different line up from the one that's currently playing!

I'll wake up at the end of the month for the Test matches - if only because I'm keen to see if any of the new selections are going to step up and make a case for a permanent spot in the top four. We need a couple of them to!

 

[SteMerritt]

It would have been enjoyable watching Malan score a few had he not signed for Yorkshire due to lack of ambition at Middx. Hope he does well, top player at County level.

 

[Foley]

Yes the T20 games from.an Engkand perspective seems to be trying to identify back up to the main team and seeing if a couple can force their way in.
Roy, Stokes, Moeen, Archer, Buttler all missing.
At least the Currans seem to be developing well.

 

[Gary Baldi]

It's fair to say that Malan tucked into the buffet today. Morgan arguably batted better, but that was brutal batting from England.

 

[Sarge]

It's fair to say that Malan tucked into the buffet today. Morgan arguably batted better, but that was brutal batting from England.

100 off 48 balls is very impressive!

 

[Foley]

Parkinson got a four for. He is a leg spinner?
That could be encouraging as well.

 

[SteMerritt]

The 2 Middx boys doing the job. Oh, sorry 1 Middx ? well, 1 part time Middx... ?

Sets it up nicely for Sunday morning.

 

[Foley]

The 2 Middx boys doing the job. Oh, sorry 1 Middx ? well, 1 part time Middx... ?

Sets it up nicely for Sunday morning.

One ex Middlesex batsman?

 

[Oufcrealist]

One ex Middlesex batsman?

Malan has signed for Yorkshire!
And thanks Gari Baldi for getting a Winter thread going. Plenty to watch and listen to over the winter.

 

[Foley]

Malan has signed for Yorkshire!
And thanks Gari Baldi for getting a Winter thread going. Plenty to watch and listen to over the winter.

Yes I know.
A strange move in some ways?

 

[SteMerritt]

Yes I know.
A strange move in some ways?

He parted ways questioning the ambition of Middlesex and said he didn't want to drift towards the end of his career, and wanted to fight to win things. Can't blame him really, Middx have really gone backwards since winning the championship.

 

[Gary Baldi]

Parkinson got a four for. He is a leg spinner?
That could be encouraging as well.

He got a bit of tap but could have had a 5 fer but for a dropped catch. Seemed to do ok to good for a 2nd appearance, but I can see him being challenged with the pace he bowls once teams have tape on him.

Having a young spinner play against a good team is great career experience.

 

[Gary Baldi]

Another Super Over win for England. The irony being the batting was largely not good, but they tucked into what they could. NZ must be sick of playing English teams in sport in 2019.

And can we finally put the James Vince experiment into the long grass? An all the gear, no idea cricketer

 

[Foley]

Chris Jordan is some twenty twenty cricketer.

 

[SteMerritt]

Chris Jordan is some twenty twenty cricketer.

Imagine how good he'll be in the even shorter Hundred them, not weighed down by those extra 20 balls he would be in the field for...

 

[Oufcrealist]

Another Super Over win for England. The irony being the batting was largely not good, but they tucked into what they could. NZ must be sick of playing English teams in sport in 2019.

And can we finally put the James Vince experiment into the long grass? An all the gear, no idea cricketer

Yes, Vince looks to be one of those talented batsmen who just can't make the step up. This was evident last year and why they persist in picking him only they know!!

 

[Sarge]

Another Super Over win for England. The irony being the batting was largely not good, but they tucked into what they could. NZ must be sick of playing English teams in sport in 2019.

And can we finally put the James Vince experiment into the long grass? An all the gear, no idea cricketer

think England have got some sort of hoodoo over NZ in cricket currently.... sensational series win via a(nother) super over decider

I dont think T20 is the best 'shop window' in why to try out potential cricketers for test match cricket though

 

[nige01ox]

Chris Jordan is some twenty twenty cricketer.

In reading the match report it brought this game from Nov 2015 back up. Another when we won on a super over. Again Jordan bowled it, and conceded just 3!
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/34968384

 

[Oufcrealist]

Good to see Sibley and Crawley both get tons in the warm up match in NZ. Good for them, hope they can keep it up!!

 

[SteMerritt]

What was the opposition strength though? We only lost 1 wicket in the day (plus 2 retired), which suggests either the bowling wasn't of the highest level, the pitch was a flat track, or it was exceptional batting. Will be interesting to see what our bowlers make of conditions.

 

[tonyw]

Kiwis announced their squad today - it's pretty solid:

New Zealand Test squad to face England and Australia: Kane Williamson (capt), Todd Astle, Tom Blundell, Trent Boult, Colin de Grandhomme, Lockie Ferguson, Matt Henry, Tom Latham, Henry Nicholls, Jeet Raval, Mitchell Santner, Tim Southee, Ross Taylor, Neil Wagner, BJ Watling.

An attack of Boult, Ferguson, Southee & Santner, with de Grandhomme backing them up, in New Zealand's typical seamer-friendly conditions is no joke.

If any of England's new top order batsmen can stand up to that and score big runs, they should be a fixture for a while.

 

[tonyw]

(although I should note that England's seamers should in turn be licking their lips. Williamson is great, Taylor has been good but is old, and noone else scares you whatsoever)

 

[Gary Baldi]

Williamson has been injured recently, so may not be 100% fit. But it is a strong and as usual, a competitive team from NZ

Interesting that Root is going back to 4 and has agreed a 2 year plan with Chris Silverwood for the test team.

 

[Foley]

Some good knocks by Pope, Buttler and Denly ( Leach 4th top scorer as night watchman, I assume!)
It sounds like Silverwood is planning to have the players to score big first innings scores, which makes sense. Let's hope he can turn the Test teams inconsistent results round.

 

[Gary Baldi]

It seems so simple doesn't it? Bat time and score a lot of runs in the first innings, but when the coach isn't that engaged, you get what you saw under Bayliss.

 

[Foley]

NZ are second (?) In the Test rankings and have lost only one of their last 15 home Tests.
So it will be tough.
Curran ahead of Woakes looks decent decision, certainly looking at the future (Woakes has a very poor overseas record).

 

[SteMerritt]

NZ are second (?) In the Test rankings and have lost only one of their last 15 home Tests.
So it will be tough.
Curran ahead of Woakes looks decent decision, certainly looking at the future (Woakes has a very poor overseas record).

I think Curran would have played more against the Aussies had Woakes not rolled Ireland over just before the Ashes. Good decision IMO, let's hope he proves it.

 

[Gary Baldi]

Curran looks like a player on the rise and seeing as it doesn't count to the test championship, a correct move. Sibley can't be any worse than anyone opening, can he? Be interesting to see the final team.

Interesting that England are still keen on having Moeen as part of the squad - I hope he comes back to the team, if he so desires after a well earned rest.

 

[Oufcrealist]

Curran looks like a player on the rise and seeing as it doesn't count to the test championship, a correct move. Sibley can't be any worse than anyone opening, can he? Be interesting to see the final team.

Interesting that England are still keen on having Moeen as part of the squad - I hope he comes back to the team, if he so desires after a well earned rest.

The team has been picked.
Burns, Sibley, Denly, Root, Stokes, Pope, Buttler, Curran, Archer, Leach, Broad.